Longterm Bay Area Transit Funding Measure By Senators Wiener & Arreguin Heads To The Governor

With talks revived on a bridge loan to fund Bay Area transit through 2026, this vote sets the stage for sustainable funding for Bay Area transit in the long term.

SACRAMENTO –  The California Legislature passed Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Jesse Arreguin’s (D-Berkeley) Senate Bill 63, the Connect Bay Area Act. The bill authorizes a regional funding measure on the November 2026 ballot to provide transit systems with sustainable funding to provide safe, clean, and reliable service across the Bay Area for years to come while improving financial efficiency and local accountability across the region. The Assembly voted 41-19 and the Senate 29-8, and the Governor must sign or veto the bill by October 12.

“Keeping our trains and buses running frequently and reliably is essential for the future of the Bay Area,” said Senator Wiener. “I’m grateful to see this incredible coalition from across the Bay Area come together to ensure our transit systems are financially stable and able to provide improved service for our residents. The risks to our essential transit systems are real, and we have a long road ahead to securing this long-term funding and stabilizing our transit systems. I’m confident that in spite of these challenges, with partnership from leaders across the region we can ensure our public transportation systems remain vibrant and reliable.”

About SB 63

Without a sustainable source of funding, budget challenges exacerbated by the pandemic will force transit agencies across the Bay Area to make major service cuts. BART could be forced to cut 65-85% of service, meaning trains only every 60 minutes, no weekend service, and station closures and line shutdowns. MUNI could face a 50% reduction in frequency on lines, no regular service after 9 p.m., and the elimination of Muni fare subsidies for low-income riders, seniors, and youth. AC Transit and Caltrain would be forced to make similar cuts.

Major cuts to public transportation service would cause ripple effects for everyone in the Bay Area. Without good quality public transit, fewer customers and employees could access businesses, fewer fans could attend concerts and sporting events, and thousands of low income people lose their only transportation option. Commutes could increase by up to 10 hours per week for key routes connecting the East Bay to San Francisco, and traffic on the Bay Bridge could increase 72%. In San Francisco alone, the 13,000 students who ride MUNI could lose their route to school, and our air quality would tank with millions of additional gallons of gas burned. There are 800,000 jobs within a 15- minute walk to a BART station.

Public transportation in the Bay Area has long been underfunded compared to other jurisdictions, and the pandemic exacerbated funding issues for transit agencies here and across the country. That money is due to run out in mid 2026, and Senator Arreguín, Senator Wiener, and Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez successfully secured the protection of $1 billion in existing transit funds as well as a $750 million stopgap loan for public transportation systems in this year’s state budget, bridging the gap to a regional funding measure.

Despite these challenging fiscal headwinds, many public transportation agencies have substantially improved service over the last 2 years. Crime on BART is down 17% year-over-year, and the agency’s cost containment steps have kept its costs rising more slowly than the rate of inflation. MUNI earned its highest rider satisfaction rating in 20 years after cutting major subway delays 76% and short delays down 89%.

The funding measure authorized by SB 63 will appear as a sales tax in San Francisco, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Alameda Counties. The default rate is set at ½-cent, with the exception that San Francisco may decide to set a 1 cent rate in that county to provide additional support for MUNI.

SB 63 will also require transportation agencies to make changes to improve financial efficiency in order to received funding. MTC will be required to conduct an independent third party financial efficiency review of BART, MUNI, AC Transit, and Caltrain to identify cost-saving measures for those operators. After the assessment, the operators will be required to submit implementation plans to MTC detailing cost-efficiency measures they plan to implement.

The SamTrans and VTA boards voted 8-1 and 12-0, respectively, to join the measure. The Alameda County Transportation Commission, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, and San Francisco County Transportation Authority are also in support of the bill. SB 63 is joint-authored by Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley) and co-authored by Assemblymembers Catherine Stefani (D-San Francisco), Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), and Senator Laura Richardson (D-Los Angeles).

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